Columns
What Is It To “Play Compositionally”?
What do you think people mean when they say, “play compositionally”? That’s the question a reader sent Damian this week. Check out what he has to say on the subject.
Who Should I Transcribe?
A reader sent Damian a question on the topic of transcribing after getting advice from others he didn’t agree with. Damian offers up his recommendations on how to approach transcribing as one of the important learning exercises in our bass playing.
Dealing with “String Ring” While Slapping
Damian answers this question in this new “Ask” column this week: “I got a 6-string not too long ago and I’ve been having a hard time with string ring... Is there anything I can do about that?”
Is There a Right Way To Set My EQ?
A reader sent Damian a question asking about all the knobs on his bass (and even more on his amp). The specific question is: “Is There a Right Way To Set My EQ?” Check out what Damian has to say.
The Lightbulb Moment: Playing Inside The Box
Some people call it “serving the song.” In Ryan’s new “Lightbulb Moment,” she talks about playing inside - and sometimes - outside the box, including covering the literal box patterns on bass.
Using Minimalism and Subtlety In Bass Lines
This week, Damian received a question about creating bass lines with minimalism and implication versus overt and fuller harmonic context. This is a deep question, so instead of just writing about it, he decided to make a video to play through some ideas and talk it out.
Series vs. Parallel Wired Pickups
In this week’s “Ask” column, a reader asked Damian to explain the difference between series and parallel circuitry in pickups. Check out Damian’s excellent overview on the topic.
Learning to Improvise
A reader, who started on piano, reached out to Damian mentioning that while he’s educated in the areas of reading, there was never a focus on improvising. He said he feels “robotic” and asked for some pointers. That’s the subject of this week’s “Ask” column.
How Much Music Theory Do I Really Need To Know?
A reader emailed Damian describing his struggles with music theory and asked for his thoughts on the importance of it. While there are lots of ways to look at this, Damian breaks describes some paths to take in your musical growth.
Best of 2018: The Top 10 “Ask Damian Erskine” Columns
We’ve been so grateful to Damian Erskine over the nine-plus years he’s worked with us. Every Wednesday, Damian thoughtfully answers a reader’s question – which often spans many, many topics. In celebration of his popular “Ask” column, here are his top 10 reader favorites in 2018.